British Athletics Cross Country Challenge and European Trials

Sefton Park, Liverpool

Saturday 28^th November 2015

Six of Kingston’s middle distance and distance runners travelled over to Liverpool to compete in the British Athletics cross country challenge and European trials. They encountered some challenging conditions, on a course that was wet and extremely muddy. All six of them put in mighty efforts, as they always do, and they were a credit to both themselves and the club.

The event drew a big entry from some top quality athletes and a total of 1890 runners took part in the cross country races.

12 year old Finlay Pickering has been with the club since the autumn of 2014, and he made everyone sit up and take notice of him in January of this year with an excellent victory at the Humberside Cross Country Championships, which were held in Weelsby woods, in Grimsby. He followed this up, three weeks later, with an outstanding 6^th place finish at the Northern Cross Country Championships at Pontefract Racecourse. He missed most of the track and field season with injury problems but was back in business again this October, when he won his leg at the Northern Counties cross country relays championships in Sheffield.

At the Liverpool meeting, Finlay competed in a field of 136 runners in the under 13’s three kilometre race, where he finished in second place, recording a time of 10:20s.This was yet another first class performance from a young man, who looks to have a very bright athletic future.

In the under 17’s race, which was held over a distance of 5.5kilometres, two 16 year olds Jack Brothwell and Baldvin Magnusson donned the blue and gold Kingston vest.

Jack is in his 6^th competitive season with the club and he is equally at home on both the track and on a cross country course. He began the 2015 season with a silver medal at the Humberside Cross Country Championships, this January, and he represented his County in the Inter County Cross Country Championships, held in Birmingham in March. On the track he is the reigning East Riding 1500 metre champion, and he took the 1500 silver medal at Mays Humberside Championships. He is hard working consistent performer who never gives less than his best, and he was also a much valued member of the Kingston youth team, throughout the 2015 track and field campaign.

Baldvin Magnusson is in his 5^th competitive season with Kingston and he too is at home on both the track and cross country. He was sidelined for the whole of the winter 2014/15 cross country season, but returned to action in April this year, running a 3000 metre race for the youth team, in a league match at Cleckheaton.  He won the 3000 metres gold medal at Junes Humberside County Schools Championships, and he represented his County at Augusts Northern Inter County Championships in Blackburn. Both he and his training partner Jack Brothwell, competed at the Northern Young Athletes Road Relays, at Blackpool in September.

Baldvin and Jack were among 129 runners contesting the under 17’s race, with Baldvin coming home in 34^th place with a recorded time of 18:47s, and Jack finishing the race in the middle positions, where he ran a time of 19:48s.

The under 20’s race, run over a distance of 6.7 kilometres, saw 3 Kingston athletes take the field. Harry Powell and Shaun Smith are two seasoned campaigners, and the third was Jules Salsby who was making his club debut.

Harry Powell is in his second competitive season at Costello. He won the under 20 title at Januarys Humberside County Cross Country Championships, and later that month took a superb 13^th place in The Northern Cross Country Championships at Pontefract race course. He won County honours at the Inter County cross country championships, held at Birmingham last march. The track and field season saw Harry crowned the 3000 metre champion at the Humberside County Championships. He ran in two finals at the Northern Championships, finishing in 4^th place in the 5000 metres and 5^th in the 3000 metres. He also ran in the England national cross country relay Championships at Mansfield in October.

Shaun Smith is in his third competitive season with the club, and he too is a reigning Humberside Cross Country Champion, having won the under 17 title last January. He finished in the top quarter of the runners at the 2015 Northern Cross Country Championships, and won County honours at both the Inter County Championships in Birmingham and the English Schools (cross country) championships at Blackburn in March. On the track he won the 1500 metres gold medal at the Humberside County Championships and took 5^th place in the 5000 metre final at the Northern Championships. Like Harry, he also ran in the England national relay championships at Mansfield in October. Both Harry and Shaun have been indispensible members of the Kingston youth team, not only for their splendid efforts on the track, but also going out of their comfort zones to help out their team mates in the field events, which was much appreciated.

Harry crossed the finishing line in 31^st place, in a quality field, which was a very good result. Shaun and club debutant Jules Salsby also put in good performances, finishing in the lower middle places.